Device for facilitating the checking of storage batteries



Oct. 2, 1951 HEINE 2,570,123

G. F. DEVICE FOR FACILITATING THE'. CHECKING OF STORAGE BATTERIES FiledApril l, 1950 INVENTQR. George i7 Het/ze www@ iatenteci ct. 2, 1,951.

UNITED-j STATES NPATENT OFFICE DEvIoEFon-FAG'ILITATTNG `'rmt CHECKING orstroRAGE BATTERIES George F. Heine, Ferndale, Mich. Applieaomipril i,1950, serial No. 153,437

The ipresentl invention .relates to improvements instorage: batteriesand, more specically, toa deviceforf factilitating` the checkingandnliing ofibatteriegwhichdevice `Iprefer .to call abatteryfquickcheck. i s

One object of the present invention is the provision of a device ofthecharacter described whichY is an improvement over, and a'substitute for,the hitherto used, threaded plugs eachV of which `is screwed separatelyinto a threaded opening at the top of a battery cell; the purpose of myimprovement being to close all openings of all cells by one singledevice, which can be manipulated more. easily and more quickly foropening,l and closing; simultaneously all the cells without unscrewingand re-tightening an indi- Vidual` plug for each cell.

Another object of the `present invention is the provisionoffa device ofthe character described which can be attached to new batteries whilethey are being manufactured, and which also can be attached toexistingbatteries without any structural changes of the batteriesand'without the use of any tools aswell as withoutthe application ofYanyconsiderable amounttof skill.

Stilll4 another object of' the `present invention isl thewprovisicn of adevice of the character described which is adjustable, so that one sizeof4 the device can be used in connection with batteries of diilerentdimensions, 4thus making it possible to re-use thedevice aftna batteryhas beenexchanged for another battery of/a diiferent make,` size, orcapacity.

-Aifurtl'ienobject of the present inventionisthe provision `ofandeviceof l they characterr described which is light in weight, small insize, simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, but whichis also sturdy, durable, and well adapted to withstand the rough usageto which devices of this type frequently are subjected.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred forms of the invention havebeen shown.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of la preferred embodiment of my inventionas it appears when attached to a battery;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View on the line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a top view of a modification; and

Fig. 5 is a side view of the modification of Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral Views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the numeral l denotes alongitudinal base member, and the numeral 2 denotes a longitudinal covermember. The member i is made of any suitable insulating and acid-proofmaterial, such as hard rubber, plastic material or the like, and hasalongitudinal, preferably stepped slot 3. The numeral 4 denotes aplurality of ring members each of which has a top portion and a mainportion whose outer diameter is smaller than that of the top portion.The members 4 have their main portions extended through the base memberl andare of the same or of a similar material as the-base member I. Aplug, having an annularly grooved topportion AE, a reduced, preferablyconical main portion 6, and being provided with a verticalvent bore "l,is extended into each ring member a from above. The member 2 preferablyis formed of a rod of plastic material, or the like, bent intermediateits ends to a substantial U-shaped formation to provide a bight and apair of legs.` One end oi the base member l is provided with lug-shapedportions 8 into which are extended the outwardly bent terminals 9 ofsaidlegs, so as to hinge the member 2 to the member i. The opposite endOf the base member l preferably is provided with a tongue portion il),and the bighti l of the member 2-is bent partially around the tongueportion IIJ, so as to form a springy, catch-like detachable connectiontherewith. The main portions of the ring members are externally threadedand adapted to be screwed into the threaded openings of a battery i2 inplace or the hitherto customary battery plugs. Thus by first extendingthe ring members i through the base member l and then screwing them intothe openings of the battery l2, the device can be attached easily andquickly to the battery i2. Since the members i are sli-fiable as well asrotatable in the slot 3 of the member l, they can be shifted thereon topositions in which they register with the openings in the top of abattery, so that this device is adjustable according to the designs andsizes of various makes of storage batteries. The leg portions of themember 2 engage opposite sections ,of the annular grooves in the topportions 5 of the plugs, so that the plugs also can be shifted ltopositions registering with the positions of the ring members 4.

If the device is in the position shown in full lines, all three openingsof the battery I2 are closed. In order to open the same, the portion IIis snapped out of engagement from the portion I0, `and the cover member2 is lifted, as shown in dash-and-dotted lines in Fig. 2. The Ysize andshape of the device always will leave the battery terminals I3unobstructed, as may be seen in Fig. 1.

If it is not necessary or desired to make an adjustable device as thatshown in Figs. l to 3, the members Iand 2 can be longitudinal plates,and the base member can be provided With holes for extendingtherethrough the ring members, while the plugs can be made as a unitwith, or can be permanently attached to, the cover member. In this casethe hinge can be at one end of the cover and base members, or it can bearranged in the manner shown in Figs. 4 and 5. There it will be seenthat the cover member has a tongue portion I4 laterally extendingintermediate its ends I5, and the base member has a similar tongueportion le, registeringwith the tongue portion I4, extended intermediatethe ends I'I of the base member. Ring members I8 are extended throughperforations in the bas-e member, and plugs I9, secured to the covermember, are extended through the ring members I8. The outer ends 20 ofthe tongue portions I4 and I6 are hinged to each other at 2 I andopposite side tongue portions there is a springy hook portion 22provided on the cover member, and a cooperating extension 23 on the basemember is adapted for being engaged by the hook portion 22 while thebattery is closed.

If new batteries, while they are being manufactured, are to be providedwith my new and improved device, the cover member can be hinged directlyto the top of the battery and provided with plugs which t tightly intonon-threaded holes in the top of the battery.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and differentembodiments of the invention could be made without departing from thescope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpretedHaving thus fully described my said invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a base member having alongitudinal main portion provided with a longitudinal slot and havinglug-shaped portions at one end, a cover member formed of a rod bentintermediate its ends to a substantial U-shaped formation to provide abight and a pair of leg portions whose terminals are bent outwardly andextended into the lug-shaped portions of said base member, a pluralityof ring members each of which has a top portion and a main portion whoseouter diameter is smaller than that of the top portion having their mainportions extended through the slot in said base member, and a pluralityof plugs having lower portions that t into said rings and upper portionsprovided with annular grooves opposite sections of which are engaged byopposite leg portions of said cover member, ringmembers having at theirmain portions external threads adapted for engaging the threadedopenings in the top of a storage battery, and said plugs being providedwith vertical bores extended therethrough.

2. A device of the character described comprising a longitudinal basemember provided with a longitudinal slot, a cover member being hinged tosaid base member, a plurality of externally threaded ring members beingextended through the slot of said base member and being rotatable aswell as slidable therein, and a plurality of plugs adapted to t intosaid rings being slidably attached to said cover member, said ringmembers being adapted to be screwed into threaded openings in the top ofa battery, and said plugs being provided with vent holes.

GEORGE F. HEINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the i'lle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Apr. 14, 1928

